School baseball: PJP II bests Barnstable

HYANNIS — Through 10 games this season, the Pope John Paul II baseball has steamrolled the opposition, outscoring its opponents 162-12 while sporting a perfect 10-0 record. But all that would be for nothing if they didn't come away with a win against Barnstable on Friday night at McKeon Park.

HYANNIS — Through 10 games this season, the Pope John Paul II baseball has steamrolled the opposition, outscoring its opponents 162-12 while sporting a perfect 10-0 record. But all that would be for nothing if they didn't come away with a win against Barnstable on Friday night at McKeon Park.

The Red Raiders held the upper hand through two innings with a three-run lead but the Lion bats awoke down the stretch to post a 9-7 statement victory over the Raiders. Pope John Paul II took advantage of a Red Raider team that was coming off a 14-day layoff, erupting for 12 hits.

"I told them before the game that you are going to get punched, and understand that," Lions coach Mark Santos said. "When we were down 5-2, I told them two things: One, this won't be the final score, and two, we just need to go out and chip away and win the innings."

From that point on the Lions outscored the Red Raiders 7-2, clubbing out six extra-base hits while getting 4§ shutdown innings of relief from Austin Houlihan.

The win was a necessity if the Lions want any chance of receiving an invitation to the state's first Super 8 baseball tournament in June.

With the Lions feasting on the weak play of the Cape & Islands League, the win was monumental in catching the eyes of the tournament committee.

"Whether or not we are worthy of Super 8 consideration I don't know, I think we can play with just about anyone in the state regardless of school size," Santos said.

"If the opportunity came, we could welcome it."

The breakout inning came in the bottom of the fourth when the Lions retook the lead, utilizing the extra-base hit. Brady Jones, Ben Gibson, Mike Young and Collin Russell each plated a run with a double to give PJPII an 8-6 lead.

Once the lead was regained, Houlihan was light outs, allowing one unearned run on four hits while fanning three. He came on in relief for Ben Gibson in the third inning after the senior was roughed up early by the Red Raider bats.

"They got their bats on the ball, it wasn't his (Gibson) best effort, he was leaving a bunch of things up in the strike zone," Santos said.